Background: Pandanus conoideus Lamk. or also known as Buah Merah (Red Fruit) is an indigenous plant from Papua commonly used as food and consumed directly as sauce, oil, and for  medicinal purposes due to its various bioactive compound such as oleic acid (monounsaturated fatty acid), β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, α-tocopherol, phenolic compounds and flavonoids that are beneficial as antioxidants. Unfortunately, consumption of red fruit oil alone is unpleasant to the palate and requires bulky packaging. Objective : This study was aimed to prepare effervescent tablet of red fruit oil extract that have the capability to fully solubilize red fruit oil once reconstituted in drinking water with the assistance of microemulsion formulation and spray drying technology to improve its solubility, practicality and palatability. Materials and Methods: Red fruit oil extract were prepared into microemulsion with the addition of Sodium caseinate and Maltodextrin, prior to Spray Drying. The obtained spray-dried red fruit oil powder were then formulated into effervescent tablet by using HPMC and PVP K30 as a binder (Formula A and Formula B) via direct compression method. Tablets obtained were then evaluated and compared for its size (diameter and thickness), weight uniformity, reconstitution time, hardness and friability. Results: Results obtained from this experiment shows that tablets produced using PVP K30 as binder produce more and harder tablets. Both of the formula showed capability to completely solubilize red fruit oil into drinking water within 6 minutes 30 s for PVP K30 as binder and 2 minutes 20 s for HPMC as binder. Conclusion: Based on these results, spray-drying of red fruit oil is a potential method to assist the preparation of effervescent tablet of red fruit oil extract that are capable to produce miscible solution upon reconstitution with drinking water.

Key words: Spray-drying, Pandanus conoideus, Red fruit oil,  Red fruit, Effervescent tablet, PVP K30, HPMC